1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a connector used for connecting a card, which is employed so as to install a flash memory card such as an SD card, a Smartmedia, a multimedia card and a memory stick, and also so as to install a chip card such as an SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card on mounting wiring boards of various sorts of appliances. The present invention is also related to a connection structure using such a connector, and further, an electronic apparatus employing such a connection structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flash memory cards are made in the form of card shapes in which memory chips are sealed in card type outer shells. As such flash memory cards, various technical standards have been proposed for, for instance, an SD card, a multimedia card, a Smartmedia, a compact flash (CF) card, and a memory stick. Chip cards correspond to IC cards in which semiconductor chips are assembled. As these chip cards, various technical specifications have been proposed for such as a SIM card and a UIM card.
There are many possibilities that card slots used to install flash memory cards are provided with information appliances such as personal computers, especially, portable type information appliances which are typically known as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance) and portable telephones. Plural sorts of card slots may be equipped with certain information appliances in order that two, or more sorts of cards may be installed.
On the other hand, memory ICs used to store thereinto subscriber identification information are provided in portable telephones. In the case that this memory IC is fixedly connected to a portable telephone, for example, when this portable telephone is replaced by purchasing a new model type portable telephone, the subscriber information is required to be written into a memory IC of this new model type portable telephone. Also, in the case that an owner of a portable telephone is changed by a new owner, a storage content of a memory IC thereof must be rewritten.
Especially, in Europe and the like, the following idea has been proposed. That is, while subscriber identification information is written into IC cards called as SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards, such connectors capable of mounting and dismounting these SIM cards, if required, are fixed on portable telephones. As a result, when a present portable telephone is replaced by purchasing a new portable telephone, such an SIM card may be merely mounted on this new portable telephone. Also, in the case that an owner of a portable telephone is changed, since the SIM card of this owner may be merely replaced by such a SIM card of a new owner, the portable telephone may be immediately used by the new owner, and furthermore, writing operation of the subscriber identification information may be omitted, or rewriting operation of this subscriber identification may be omitted.
Very recently, in order to store image data and voice data, such portable telephones capable of installing flash memory cards such as an SD card and a memory stick are commercially available in markets. In this sort of electronic appliance, in order that a SIM card may be furthermore mounted and dismounted, a connector used for two flash memory cards corresponding to two different sorts of cards is required to be equipped with a portable telephone. However, when the conventional connectors are employed, bulky portable telephones are necessarily manufactured.
This problem could be solved by employing, for instance, such a connection structure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,328, by which two sheets of cards are overlapped with each other to be installed on the portable telephone.
However, in this conventional technique, both the SIM card and the multimedia card are connected and disconnected at the same time with respect to the portable telephone. As a result, even when only the multimedia card is wanted to be replaced, since the connection of the SIM card is also released, the power supply of the portable telephone must be turned OFF. As a consequence, this conventional portable telephone equipped with the above-described connection structure is not always a user-friendly appliance.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector used for a flash memory card, which can mount thereon both a flash memory card and a chip card by using a small space, and moreover, can maintain a connection condition of the chip card even when the flash memory card is mounted or dismounted.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide a connection structure which can mount thereon both a flash memory card and a chip card by using a small space, and moreover, can maintain a connection condition of the chip card even when the flash memory card is mounted or dismounted.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly electronic apparatus be being equipped with the above-described connection structure.
To achieve the above-described objects, a connector used for a flash memory card, according to a first object of the present invention, is featured by including: a connector main body (1) which is constituted in such a manner that the connector main body can be mounted on a mounting wiring board (7), and which contains a first card installing space (71) for accepting a flash memory card (100, 250) from a substantially vertical direction with respect to a major surface of the mounting wiring board so as to hold the accepted flash memory card, and furthermore, owns a second card installing space (72) for accepting a chip card (200) between the first card installing space and the mounting wiring board; a signal connection contact (2) fixed on the connector main body, which contains both a contact point portion (21) contacted to a signal connection portion of the flash memory card under application of pressure and a connection portion (22) electrically connected to the mounting wiring board; and a stopper (80) for holding the chip card installed in the second card installing space within the second card installing space. It should be understood that the numerals indicated in blanks represent corresponding structural elements employed in the below-mentioned embodiments. This item is the same as in the below-mentioned aspects of the present invention.
In general, a flash memory card corresponds to such a card that a memory chip is sealed in a card type outer shell. The flash memory card involves an SD card, a multimedia card, a Smartmedia, a memory stick, a compact flash card, and the like. A chip card corresponds to such an IC card that a semiconductor chip is assembled in this card. The chip card involves a SIM card, a UIM card, and the like.
In accordance with this structure, the flash memory card can be installed in the first card installing space whereas the chip card can be installed into the second card installing space between this flash memory card and the mounting wiring board. As a result, since both the flash memory card and the chip card can be connected to the mounting wiring board under such a condition that the flash memory card is overlapped with the chip card, two different sorts of cards can be installed within a small space.
Also, even when the flash memory card is dismounted from the first card installing space, the chip card can be held in the second card installing space by way of the function of the stopper. In other words, the flash memory card may be disconnected and/or replaced without releasing the connection condition between the chip card and the mounting wiring board. A flash memory card connector, according to the second aspect of the present invention, is featured by that the flash memory card has a signal connection portion in the vicinity of one edge thereof; the flash memory card connector further includes: a cover member (5) pivotally mounted with respect to one end portion of the connector main body, for restricting one end portion of the flash memory card within the first card installing space under such a closed condition that at least a portion of the first card installing space is closed; and a lock mechanism (54, 56, 17) for locking the cover member to the closed condition with respect to the connector main body; and wherein: the contact point portion of the signal connection contact is made in contact with the signal connection portion of the flash memory card under application of pressure at another end portion thereof located opposite to the one end portion of the connector main body; and a restricting member (4) for restricting another end portion of the flash memory card is provided in the vicinity of the another end portion of the connector main body, while the restricting member being engaged to the another end portion of the flash memory card.
The above-described restricting member may be formed in such a manner that an outer shell having a substantially xe2x80x9cC-shapedxe2x80x9d section is formed, while accepting the other end portion of the flash memory card in conjunction with the connector main body. Alternatively, this restricting member may be made as a separate component from the connector main body, or may be made in an integral form with respect to the connector main body.
In accordance with this invention, while the flash memory card is installed in the first card installing space of the connector main body, one end portion of this flash memory card is restricted by locking the cover member to the connector main body, and also the other end portion of this flash memory card is restricted by the restricting member. With employment of such a structure, the flash memory card can be firmly held in the card installing space. Then, the electric connection between the signal connection contact and the flash memory card can be firmly maintained by such a manner that the other end portion of the flash memory card is restricted by the restricting member. As a result, high anti-shock characteristic can be realized.
Furthermore, since the flash memory card can be installed while the cover member is brought into the opened condition, this flash memory card can be installed along the direction opposite to the mounting wiring board. As a consequence, since the connector need not be arranged on the outer peripheral portion of the mounting wiring board, the free degree of the arrangement of the connector can be increased.
A flash memory card connector, according to a third aspect of the present invention, is featured by such a flash memory card connector as recited in the first or second aspect wherein: the flash memory card owns a substantially rectangular shape in which a notch (101) for preventing an erroneous installation is formed in one corner portion thereof; the first card installing space is made in a substantially rectangular shape fitted to the flash memory card; and an erroneous installation preventing portion (31) corresponding to the notch is provided on the connector main body, while the erroneous installation preventing portion is projected to the first card installing space.
Also, a flash memory card connector, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, is featured by such a flash memory card connector as recited in any one of the first to third aspect wherein: the chip card owns a substantially rectangular shape in which a notch (201) for preventing an erroneous installation is formed in one corner portion thereof; the second card installing space is made in a substantially rectangular shape fitted to the chip card; and an erroneous installation preventing portion (85) corresponding to the notch is provided on the connector main body, while the erroneous installation preventing portion is projected to the second card installing space.
In accordance with this structure, the erroneous installation preventing portion which is projected into either the first or second card installing space is matched with the notch of either the flash memory card or the chip card, so that the erroneous installation of either the flash memory card or the chip card can be prevented. Since either the first or second card installing space accepts both the flash memory card and the chip card from the direction opposite to the mounting wiring board, an operator who tries to install a card can visibly confirm the erroneous installation preventing portion before being installed. As a result, since the operator can immediately recognize the correct installation attitude of either the flash memory card or the chip card, either the flash memory card or the chip card can be quickly installed.
The above-described cover member may be preferably made of a metal. As a result, heat generated from the flash memory card can be radiated via the cover member to the peripheral portion thereof, and also, can shield noise.
In order to achieve a better noise shielding effect, under such a condition that the cover member is closed, a noise-shielding connection member may be preferably and furthermore provided, while this noise-shielding connection member causes this cover member to a low impedance portion (namely, either power supply portion or ground portion) of the mounting wiring board.
Also, when an extension portion (54 to 57) for covering a portion of the installing space is provided on a side portion of the cover member, the noise shielding effect may be increased.
Preferably, the cover member may be provided with a spring piece which is made in contact with the outer surface of the flash memory card under application of pressure.
With employment of this structure, heat generated from the flash memory card may be radiated via the spring piece (for instance, spring piece made of metal and made in integral body with cover member).
Preferably, such a heat transfer member may be mounted on this connector main body, while this heat transfer member is made in contact with this cover member under closed condition of this cover member under application of pressure, and also is joined to the mounting wiring board so as to form a heat radiation path to the mounting wiring board.
In accordance with this construction, heat generated from the flash memory card may be transferred via the spring piece to the cover member made of the metal material, and may be furthermore transferred via the heat transfer member (alternatively, such member having common function as above-described noise-shielding connection member) to the mounting wiring board. As a consequence, overheat of the flash memory card can be effectively prevented.
A flash memory card connection structure, according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, is featured by including: a mounting wiring board (7); the flash memory card connector (10, 300) as recited in any one of the above-described first to fourth aspects, which is mounted on the mounting wiring board; and a chip card connector (75) provided with a signal connection contact (66), which is mounted on the mounting wiring board in such a manner that the chip card connector is located within the second card installing space of the flash memory card connector, while the signal connection contact includes both a contact point portion (66a) which is made in contact to the signal connection portion of the chip card under application of pressure, and also a connection portion (66b) which is electrically connected to the mounting wiring board.
With employment of this structure, the effects as described in connection with the first aspect of the present invention can be realized.
An electric apparatus, according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, is featured by including: the flash memory card connection structure as recited in the fifth aspect.
With employment of this structure, since two sheets of cards can be installed within a small space, this structure can contribute that the electronic apparatus can be made compact.